Torpedo



' F. w. BALDWIN.

v ToRPEDo.

.1920. Llr Patented. Mar. 28, E922.

Aprovements in 'llorp UHT :FREDERICK w. BALDWIN, or

TORPEDO.

application med may 7, 1920. seri-a1 1m.

To all whom t 'may concern; l

Be it known. that I, FREDERICK W. BALD-v WIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Baddcck, Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented new and useful Im- .'edoes, which invention is fully set forth 1n the following specilication.

The present invention is :an-improvement in torpedoes', and has for its object to provide a simpler, cheaper, and more eli'cient device of the character described.

'lhe present invention eliminates the necessity of the complicated mechanism now utilized for propelling torpedoes and also the mechanism now employed for maintaining the torpedo at a predetermined depth beneath the water after it has been fired.

Briefly stated, the invention consists of a torpedo casing, the front end of which carries the explosive charge andthe rear end the propulsive material, and means for supporting the body of the torpedo'above the water during its progress toward the target at which it has been fired.

he invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig". 1 isa side elevation, partly in section, of a torpedo embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, showing the particular construction and arrangement of the struts and hydrofoils which support the main body of the torpedo;

Fig. 3 is a modification wherein the hydrofoils are arranged in the form of concentric circular members;

F ig. et is a further modification employing two lndependent series of hydrofoil blades, each 'of which is arranged ona pair of strut members projecting from the body of the torpedo; and

F ig. 5 is an additional modification showing a hexagonal arrangement of hydrofoil blades.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, 1'0 indicates the torpedo casing which is supported at each end above the water by a set of hydrofoils. The particular construction of hydrofoils may be varied within wide limits2 but I prefer to employ the same constructlon at each end. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, strut members 11, here shown as tour Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922. 379,528.

in number, project rearwardly and outwardly from the torpedo casing and have secured thereto four hydrofoil members 12, 13, 14 and 15. A.' second set of hydrofoils, parallel to the first set,is composed of members 12', 13', 14 and 15. The hydrofoil set at the rear of the machine'is slmilarly constructed. l

It will be observed that the .planes 13 and 14, for example, are arranged at a very substantial dihedral angle which 4conduces to great stability in the structure. The advantage of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 resides in the fact that it is unnecessary to maintain the torpedo in any particular uppermost position, as'it will ride on one set of the hydrofoils as well as another. It will be observed that, by supporting the torpedo above the water, the speed of travel is largely increased. Experience during the late war developed the fact that it was by no means impossible for a ship to avoid a torpedo that had been fired at it, because of the slow speed of travel of the torpedo. With a. torpedo embodying the present invention and which would travel very much faster than the type of torpedo now employed, it would be practically impossible to avoid the torpedo if .it were properly aimed.

I prefer to drive my torpedo by jet propulslon, using for that purpose any suitable or wellknown nozzle 16. The propulsive material may be of any suitable or desired kind, but 1 prefer to employ a charge of high-power smokeless powder 17 carriedv in the rear end of the torpedo casing. barrier 18 separates the smokeless powder from the explosive charge that is carried in front of said bargrier. l

It willbe observed that, by,y use of the present invention, I have dispensed with the necessity for the complicated and costly driving `mechanism heretofore employed, and also the costly mechanism for maintaining the torpedo at a predetermined depth of submergen'ce. 1 use with the present torpedo any suitable control for maintaining the direction of the torpedo, as the well known gyroscopic control.

he present invention results in a torpedo which not only moves much faster than the present type but is infinitely more simple in construction, costs but a fraction of the cost of the present type of torpedo, and weighs very much less than the present `type v at the rear of the torpedo.

of torpedo notwithstanding the fact that it can be made to carry a much larger explosive charge.

A .tor do such as above described may be laune ed in any suitable vmanner and the ypropulsive charge ignitedA by any of the such as a fuse,

are preferably arranged on said struts on the same transverse planes ample, members 15 and 15 of Fig. 1. This circular arrangement has the obvious advantage that rolling or rotation of the torpedo, if such took`place, wouldl in no way affect the operation -of the same. The same fact i's true of the construction shown in Figs. 1 ,and 2. 4It will be appreciated that the same advantages se ured by the dihedral arrangement -of the ydrofoil blades, as particularly described in connection A"with Figs. 1 and 2, apply with equal force to this construction.

Fig., 4 illustrates a further modification of th'e means of support for the torpedo. In this embodiment there are provided two sets of hydrofoils, each of which com rises a air of struts 19. 'A plurality o hydrofoil blades 20 are carried by each pair of struts 19, and these blades are,V preferably arranged at a dihedral angle in1 order to as are, for ex- 'give stability to the structurej" -A similar mounting, as heretofore stated, is provided A further advantage of the dihedral arran ment of the blades is that the torpedo wil travel in a substantially direct line for the target without any longitudinal or porpoise-like oscillation which would take place if the blades were not arranged at a4 dihedral angle.

Fig. 5 illustrates a further modification of the means of support for the torpedo and com rises six rearwardly inclined struts 21, pre erably arranged as are struts 11 in` Fig. 1; and carrying two hexagonal series of hydrofoil blades 22 and 23. The effect of l Vrthis arrangement is vsubstantially that secured by the arrangement of Fig. 2 except that,by

the provision of the six-sided sup port, the dihedral angle is reduced.

v ing the torpedo,

is not limited t shown butl that is suseeptlble of various other mechanical expressions within the limits of the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is f 1. In a torpedo, a casing, means for drivand means surrounding 'the casing for supporting the torpedo above the surface of the water.

2. In a torpedo, the combination of a casing, means for driving the torpedo carried thereby, and means surrounding the casing at either end of the torpedo for supporting the same above the surface of the water.

3.. In a torpedo, the combination of a casing, a set of hydrofoils surrounding the casing and carried atone end of said torpedo, and a second s et of hydrofoils carried atv the other end thereof.

charge carried in one end thereof, propulsive material carried in the other end thereof, strutmembers projectin from said casing, hydrofoil blades carrie thereby and surrounding said casing, similarstrut members extending fromsg'the other end of said cas` ing, and hydrofoil blades carried by said second strut members.

6. In a torpedo, a casing, and means for supporting the casing above the surface of the water, said means comprising a plurality of strut membersA projecting from said casing, and t'wo sets of hydrofoil blades carried thereby and surrounding said casing.

7. In a torpedo, a casing, andfmeans for supporting the casing above the surface of the water, said means comprising a, plurality of strut members projecting from said casing, and two sets of hydrofoil blades carried thereby, said blades being arranged at a dihedral angle with respect to each other and surrounding said casln In testimony whereof I specification.

FREDERICK W. BALDWIN.

Iiave signed this described, it is to-be unv 

